Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-06-29

city of Medicine Lodge.
Those who desire further information
than is contained in this brief circular,
are earnestly invited TO write to us.
when their communications will receive
prompt attention and truthful answers.
BARBER COUNTY.
Barber county, Kansas, is the middle
of the southern tier of counties, adjoin-
ing and directly north of the Indian ter
ritory. 1t is penetrated by the Southern
Kansas, st. Louis, Fort Scott and Wich-
ita, and the Chicago. Kansas IL Western
railroads. The principal streams in
the county are, the Medicine river, the
Salt Fork river, Big and Little Mule,
Turkey, Mulberry, Elm, Cedar and An
telope creeks. These streams are new
er-failing, each being fed by numberless
spring branches that flow through every
canyon and valley in the county. There
is no point in the county where good
water may not be obtained. 1t is the
exception when the depth of well ex-
ceeds forty feet.
The streams of Barber county are
skirted with beautiful groves of timber,
that protect live stock from the wintry
blasts and the scorching rays of the
summer sun. and furnish more than
one-half of the inhabitants with fuel.
The timber is principally elm, cotton
wood and blackberry, though walnut.
ash, cherry cedar and oak may be found
in considerable quantities. Groves are
being planted IN every township, and
these will yet grow into fortunes.
The county will grow any fruit or
vegetable that can be grown in the Mis-
souri, valley. Orchards of peaches and
apples have already yielded their own
ers rich returns, and it is not yet five
years since the first attention was paid
to horticulture. Grapes and small fruits
do remarkably well, and vegetation of
every kind flourishes without irrigation.
Agriculture is not an experiment in
Barber county. For thirteen years
crops of corn, oats, wheat and millet
have been raised here; but prior to 1884
the county was devoted almost exclu-
sively to the raDge-cattle industry. and
agriculture was a secondary considera-
ton. 1t is a matter of record that in
1855 1t was no unusual thing to see a
yield of 10 bushels Of wheat, so bushels
Of corn, and 100 bushels of oats TO the
acre. This year, (lSS7,) the acreage of
corn planted, according to the reports
OF the official township statisticians,
will exceed any previous year in the
history OF the county by 100 per cont.
Cattle do well in Barber county, and
the crop OF calves is rarely reckoned at
less than 80 per cent. Horses prosper
here nine months in the year without
feed or care. Sheep are free from dis
ease, and increase in number rapidly.
Hog cholera has never been in Barber
county, and swine here develop quickly
and never fail to bring top prices.
1t will be worth the time of any one
in search of new location, to come to
this county on prospecting tour before
he locates elsewhere. He can buy lands
at nearly any price-from 81 to $50 per
acre-or he can buy presumption claims.
to which the government has not made
title, for less money than the lowest
figures mentioned. No one should be
satisfied to purchase without first look
ing for himself. He can sell his poor
farm and stock back east for enough to
buy good farm in this, the most de-
lightful and prosperous county in Kau-
sas. He will find schools, churches and
good society. The people are sober and
industrious, prospecting as well as any
people IN the world, and there is a cor
dial welcome to all who may come, no
matter what may be their religious or
political preferences. Honesty, sobrie-
ty and industry are the only requisites.
The county has apopulation of Il, 900:
its taxable wealth is more than So .OOO.-
600; it has eighty-flve school districts.
and that number OF schools in opera
ton. 1t has fine courthouse and iail.
Its principal streams are bridged; the
roads are naturally good, and demand
but little attention, and there is now no
probability of the county being called
on to vote aid to further internal i'm
provements. Taxes are comparatively
light here, averaging what in the east
would be from to II per cent. on real
valuations. Property is assessed here
at not exceeding 80 per cent. Of its value.
The soil OF the county is principally
a red sandy loan. impregnated with
enough gypsum to make it wonderfully
fertile and natural retainer of moist
ure. II Is fact well known that crop
Of corn will mature and be ready for
the crib within 100 days after planting
In Barber county. The best piece of
corn raised in the county last year was
on field that had raised twelve previ-
Gus crops OF the same grain.
MEDICINE LODGE
Is the county-seat. 1t was organized
in 1873, and though it did not attain any
commercial Importance during the FIRST
six years Of its history, it is to-day sub
staDtial and energetic, with a popula-
ton OF 1000; IL has two national bank;
three newspapers; five church organiza-
tons; large brick public school build
ing; six blocks OF solid, two-story bust
ness houses; q large number OF elegant
residences; extensive mercantile estab-
lishments, wholesale and retail. One
OF the finest brick conrthouses in the
state; a substantial steel-cell Jail, and
In fact every class Of buildings that go
to make up 6rst-class city,